AA/PPS 03.02.01 - Accreditation Costs of Texas State Degree Programs

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to effective financial stewardship of university funds.

1. SCOPE

   1. In addition to the general institutional accreditation of Texas State University, many academic areas seek and receive professional accreditation. This policy is intended to address payment of costs associated with the professional accreditation of colleges, schools, departments, and programs.

2. ANNUAL COSTS OF ACCREDITATION

   1. Annual costs of accreditation, including items such as memberships required to maintain accreditation, annual fees to an accrediting body, and special annual fees based upon the number of graduates in a program are considered a part of the regular operating costs of an academic unit and should be paid from the regular annual operating budget of that unit.

   2. Requests for additional funding to cover increased or extraordinary costs in any of these areas should be made to the associate provost.

3. PROCEDURES FOR PAYING SPECIAL PERIODIC COSTS OF ACCREDITATION

   1. Periodic costs incurred as a part of the accreditation process that should be paid by the academic unit include, but are not limited to:

      1. costs associated with the preparation of a departmental analysis or self-study, including assigned time for faculty members who may be released from teaching assignments to coordinate accreditation efforts; and

      2. costs associated with surveying alumni, employers, or other key groups.

   2. Other special periodic costs of the accreditation process are considered to be expenditures beyond the regular operating costs of an academic unit. After the site visit has occurred, the administrative head of that unit may request funding from the director of Academic Budgets in the Office of the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs to recover these expenditures. Costs eligible for reimbursement from the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs include:

      1. actual travel costs for members of an external visiting team;

      2. per diem expenses for members of an external visiting team paid at the normal Texas per diem rate; and

      3. accreditation application fees and reaccreditation application fees.

4. REVIEWER OF THIS PPS

   1. Reviewer of this PPS includes the following:

      Position	Date
      Director of Academic Budgets, Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs	February 1 E5Y

5. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

   This PPS has been reviewed by the following individual in their official capacity and represents Texas State Academic Affairs policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

   Director, Academic Budgets, Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; senior reviewer of this PPS

   Director, Faculty and Academic Resources

   Associate Provost

   Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs